Members of this IPRO team project will use the design thinking process to develop something very important: your life and career. You will learn the fundamentals of teamwork, communication, and problem solving while you design your future.

Much of the content and approach for this IPRO is based on the class “Innovation Narratives” at the Institute of Design (ID). The Innovation Narratives class was one of the most popular and highest rated classes in the history of ID. The class used storytelling techniques to help develop and envision the future. We will use these techniques in Dragon Slayer (Designing YOUR future) to help you plan and develop your career and life outside of work.

This IPRO project was developed in collaboration with the team from Career Services, which will be involved in every phase of the class helping to better connect you to and prepare you for the professional world after your time at Illinois Tech.

This IPRO project will be both experience and project based. You will get the chance to experience different types of careers and projects. You will prototype your future, making it tangible so that you and others can better understand and test what is next.

Who should sign up for this class? This class is ideal for students that want to explore a variety of career options and think deeply about their future and how to balance work / life. We welcome students who are passionate about making their future meaningful and fulfilling. Only register for this class if you are comfortable with ambiguity – the future is uncertain and planning for it requires you to be OK with not always knowing a precise answer.

Why Dragon Slayer? This was the code name for the class when we started development. There are few things more overwhelming than thinking about what happens after college. In other words, life after college is like facing a dragon. This class is meant to give you the tools, experience, and knowledge to plan your future.